Multiple Streamers in one house

If you press the little cog in the bottom right hand corner, a screen pops up. At the top it says 'select device'. As I only have one streamer it only shows that, but this must be where you choose.

Yes.

Unfortunately, however, the NDS doesn't support PartyMode.

You could have a NDX/N5XS/UnitiQute/SuperUniti all in the same house playing the same music.

Can't do this with the NDS.

HH is absolutely correct. I have a ND5XS downstairs and a UQ2 in my bedroom and switch from one to the other exactly how HH has described.

Ouch !

I fancy an NDS, however quite like the idea of the Party mode.....having a couple of Qute's in other rooms

is it likely to appear on a future upgrade, or should I get an NDX...

@ameden: Go listen to it. I don't think the lack of party mode should be the deciding factory.

Agreed, will listen to both

MM,

Surprised that the NDS doesn't support Party Mode. I Don't have personal experience of it but Naim's update page indicates that firmware 3.21 brought Party Mode and Seek2Time to the NDS.

Further reading brought up the following

"The exception is the NDS network player which only gains Seek2Time from the update (enabling you to scroll through individual lossless tracks via n-Stream) but is not compatible with Multiroom & Party Mode. For full technical details and the list of products affected please visit the ‘Multiroom & Party Mode’ tab from the link below."

I have emailed Naim to ask about future NDS upgrades....

Thanks for the info.  

I'm surprised there's no party for the NDS... Seems like other streamers in the house should be able to slave off the UnitiServe.   

As a bit of extra info, the way PartyMode works is the "master" streamer sends a 320kbps stream to the slave (or slaves).  It's not driven from the uPnP server.  It only works on source files up to 24/48 resolution. So if you want to listen to higher resolution files in PartyMode you have to set the server to (eg UnitiServe) to transcode down to a lower resolution. 

Works well in my house with a SuperUniti and two Qutes.

Chris I think you'll love this setup -- I have the same, an NDS in the living room, and a Qute2 in the top floor loft/office/"man cave area."  Both are fed by the uServe.  Lately I watch sports up there in the loft with the TV sound turned off and music on.  It's a simple button press to change from the NDS to the Qute and vice versa in n-Stream.

I've connected my Samsung plasma TV to the Qute2 in the loft (an optical cable), and that's quite nice.  Last night we watched the first hour of the Celebration Day concert video on cable TV, with the audio via the Qute2 and my Dynaudio speakers, rather than the tv speakers.  It was very enjoyable.  Very decent sound that way.

Response from Naim:

"Party Mode was not added to NDS as it affects the overall sound quality..........at this time it will not be a feature of NDS"

So, no can do Party Mode.....however, as already mentioned, the UServe can 'serve' multiple streamers...I guess just not synchronised....

Thanks for all the reply's, you guys rock. 

I emailed the factory and confirmed no party mode for the NDS.  Effects sound quality they said.  I replied and said that sound quality was not mandatory in party mode and why can't the UnitiQute2 slave off the NDS feed from the UnitiServe?  Waiting for an answer.  

yeah, I think it's a weasel out answer..

It is a little vexing and unclear why it couldn't be implemented in the NDS. Does just having the code on the NDS affect SQ or is it only when it is turned on/activated? Is the feature dragging down performance of the units that do support it? Does turning multi room off in "setup" change things? Inquiring minds want to know. 

Good for you, Chris. What speakers are you going to use with it?

Hungry Halibut is correct. It is pretty easy on the iPad UI. Once selected the name of the streamer being controlled shows down in the left corner of the screen. On the iPhone/iPod it isn't so easy. The small screen means that the app doesn't have the real estate to show streamer under app control and to change there is an extra step or two so not quite as elegant.